WNE's College of Engineering — a U.S. News & World Report top 100 Best Undergraduate Engineering Program in the nation — encourages students to 'Innovate, Create, and Transform.'
The College serves as a hub of innovation and entrepreneurship offering opportunities for students to participate in team-based projects, presentations, and undergraduate research in state-of-the-art facilities, preparing them for leadership roles across various industries. The institution offers undergraduate and graduate programs in various engineering disciplines, including construction management, biomedical, civil, computer, electrical, industrial, and mechanical engineering.
With 93 sites for internships, a remarkable 100% internship placement rate, and 100% of 2022 graduates securing employment or attending graduate or professional school within six months of graduation, WNE is dedicated to ensuring its graduates are well-prepared for the workforce.
Why We're In KEEN
The College of Engineering at WNE has been a KEEN partner for over a decade, and the relationship continues to grow. When we first joined the network, our faculty began experimenting with activities to foster an entrepreneurial mindset (EM) among our students. After identifying best practices, we baked that recipe into our curriculum, stacking multiple EM learning opportunities for our students as they flow through our programs.
And now we are in the position to give back to the network, as our faculty serve as workshop facilitators and coaches, Community Catalysts, Engineering Unleashed Fellows, presenters at the KEEN National Conference (and more). KEEN is all about changing the definition of what it means to be an engineer, and WNE is excited to be a partner in that work.
Showcase
One of our flagship EM courses is Data Acquisition & Processing (ENGR 110), which is part of the common core taken by all first-year engineering students at WNE.
Students in this course are introduced to the product innovation process via a semester-long design project involving smart products. Working in small teams, the students identify customers and their pain points, brainstorm solutions, develop prototypes, and explore the marketplace for their innovations.
The projects are showcased at our Emerging Engineers Exposition, which is held annually at the end of the academic year.
Current Work
Each year, our faculty run EM-focused workshops on our campus to help onboard new instructors and equip them with tools to be successful in the classroom.
Our faculty are also involved with the development and implementation of national-level workshops via KEEN, including topics related to making/makerspaces.
Additionally, we encourage faculty to experiment with new EM activities in their courses, and we also run a book club where our community can come together to discuss thought-provoking readings on EM.
Featured Cards
The College serves as a hub of innovation and entrepreneurship offering opportunities for students to participate in team-based projects, presentations, and undergraduate research in state-of-the-art facilities, preparing them for leadership roles across various industries. The institution offers undergraduate and graduate programs in various engineering disciplines, including construction management, biomedical, civil, computer, electrical, industrial, and mechanical engineering.
With 93 sites for internships, a remarkable 100% internship placement rate, and 100% of 2022 graduates securing employment or attending graduate or professional school within six months of graduation, WNE is dedicated to ensuring its graduates are well-prepared for the workforce.
Why We're In KEEN
The College of Engineering at WNE has been a KEEN partner for over a decade, and the relationship continues to grow. When we first joined the network, our faculty began experimenting with activities to foster an entrepreneurial mindset (EM) among our students. After identifying best practices, we baked that recipe into our curriculum, stacking multiple EM learning opportunities for our students as they flow through our programs.
And now we are in the position to give back to the network, as our faculty serve as workshop facilitators and coaches, Community Catalysts, Engineering Unleashed Fellows, presenters at the KEEN National Conference (and more). KEEN is all about changing the definition of what it means to be an engineer, and WNE is excited to be a partner in that work.
Showcase
One of our flagship EM courses is Data Acquisition & Processing (ENGR 110), which is part of the common core taken by all first-year engineering students at WNE.
Students in this course are introduced to the product innovation process via a semester-long design project involving smart products. Working in small teams, the students identify customers and their pain points, brainstorm solutions, develop prototypes, and explore the marketplace for their innovations.
The projects are showcased at our Emerging Engineers Exposition, which is held annually at the end of the academic year.
Current Work
Each year, our faculty run EM-focused workshops on our campus to help onboard new instructors and equip them with tools to be successful in the classroom.
Our faculty are also involved with the development and implementation of national-level workshops via KEEN, including topics related to making/makerspaces.
Additionally, we encourage faculty to experiment with new EM activities in their courses, and we also run a book club where our community can come together to discuss thought-provoking readings on EM.
Featured Cards
- The Healthy Microbiome Initiative. Students move quickly from learning about microbiomes to applying this knowledge in real world situations.
- Inclusive Design and EML in First Year Engineering Classes. Inclusive design thinking is explored in this module that enforces the design process and EML.
- End User Feedback – The Empathy Map. This activity encourages students to find a close contact in their world who would benefit from assistive technology.
- Culture Related Design in First Year Engineering. Teaching the design process and DfAM with historical/cultural perspectives to incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion in first year classes.
- Identifying and Overcoming the Challenges of Assembly Operations. Improving assembly systems through a hands-on fabrication experience and simulation modeling.
- Carbon Monoxide Detector Redesign - Engaging Biomedical Engineering Students in Product Development. Biomedical engineers learn about product development by redesigning a carbon monoxide detector.
- Thermostats, Promoters & Reporter Genes, Oh My! Using reporter genes to understand gene promoters, regulation and efficiency in the laboratory. Creating new value with old ideas!
- Jackpot! Order matters! Programming in MATLAB. Introduction of conditional statements and loops.
- Tracking Human Body Motion - Let's Get Moving! Semester-long project exposing students to Experimental Design, Data Collection/Analysis, Developing a Business Model and Technical Communication.
The work ongoing in the Engineering Unleashed community is a real game changer in higher education. Across the country (and right here on our campus at Western New England University) we’re re-thinking what it means to be an engineer and how we prepare students for their future careers.
